Binding for bicycle-saddle coverings.



Patented Dec. 5, I899. ELBACH,

W. MEISSELBACH, 1R. & A. F. MEISS BINDING FOR BICYCLE SADDLE COVERINGS.

(Application filed Oct. 31, 1898.) {No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM MEISSELBAOH, JR., AND AUGUST F. MEISSELBACH, OF NEWARK, NElV JERSEY.

BINDING FQR BICYCLE-SADDLE COVERINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,519, dated December 5, 1899.

Application file d October 31,1898- Serial No. 695,011. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM MEISSEL- BACH, Jr., and AUGUST F. MEISSELBAOH, citizens of the United States, residing at Newark,

county of Essex, and State of New Jersey,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bindings for Bicycle-Saddle Coverings, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompa- IO nying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The object of the present invention is to furnish an improved means for securely holding a binding upon the edge of a bicycle-saddle in cases where a covering is applied to a metallic body. Such covering is often made of leather, and where applied only to the top of the'saddle it is commonly secured to the edge of the metallic body by rivets. In some cases a leather covering has been applied also to the under sideof the body as a means for securing the covering upon the upper side by stitching the two leather coverings together at the edge of the saddle. Where rivets are used, they disfigure the edges of the saddle,

2 5 while the stitching necessitates the covering of both sides of the metal, which involves a needless consumption of the leather, and the present invention has therefore been devised to furnish a means of looking a binding upon 0 the edge of the metallic body to hold a leather covering securely thereon.

In attaching a binding to the edge of the saddle it is essential that it shall not form any projection upon the edge of the body, as

3 5 the limbs of the rider are in constant motion upon the edges of the saddle, and a ridge or projection of any kind would be uncomfortable and tend to chafe and wear out the clothing needlessly. To accomplish this result,we

0 form the saddle-body of sheet metal,with a depending flange at the margin, and provide such flange adjacent to the edge with a groove, into which the leather can be pressed by the binding and the edge of the binding sunk below the surface of the leather, so as to form a flush joint. To sustain the leather at the outer edge of the groove and prevent the leather from being out by the edge of the flange, we form a flat seat between the groove and such edge. The binding is formed of U shape, with the outer member shorter than the inner member, and is applied upon the edges of the sheet-metal flange and its covering, and the outer member of the binding is curved inwardly by means of rolls to press the leather into the groove and form a flush joint therewith. The pressure of the leather into the groove holds theleather in place upon the body, while the crowding of the outer member of the binding into the leather secures the binding firmly in place. The forming of the groove in the sheet-metal flange produces a ridge upon its inner surface, and the longer member of the- U-shaped binding is preferably curved by rolls to fit upon such ridge, and the binding is thus doubly secured upon the saddle.

The invention is applicable to saddles whether the covering be stuffed or not; but a saddle with stuffed covering is shown in the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross-section of the saddle with a part of the wire spring and the seatpost clamp, the binding being omitted from the right-hand edge of the saddle and applied to the left edge of the saddle in readiness for clamping thereon. Fig. 2 shows the edgeof the saddle in section with the binding clamped thereon by rolls,which are represented in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the U shaped binding. Fig. 4 is a side view of the rear end of the saddle, showing the groove and seat along the edge of the flange; and Fig. 5 is a similar view with the covering secured upon the saddle by the binding.

A designates the saddle body, of sheet 1netal,with flange a at the margin and groove I) rolled into such flange adjacent to its edge. The rolling of such groove in sheet metal produces, as shown in Fig. 1, a ridge or bead 0 upon the inner side of the flange, exactly opposite to the groove b. A flat seat- I) remains upon the exterior of the flange, between the groove 1) and the edge of the flange.

B designates the covering, which is extended along the edge of the flange over the groove 19 and the flat seat Z), as is shown where the binding is omitted.

The binding '0, as shown in Fig. 3, is ofU shape with one member shorter than the other. When the binding is fitted over the edges of the leather and the flange, its outer member is pressed into the leather by rolls,which are indicated by the dotted lines D D in Fig. 2, the body only of the rolls being shown, with their axial lines d. The roll D is shown grooved to form a ridge upon the longer member of the binding to lock it upon the ridge 0, and the outer roll D is formed with a sharp collar (2, which presses the edge of the shorter member into the leather, and thereby curves the edge of such member inwardly and produces a sunken joint.

The binding is in practice made of metal much thinner than the leather and is by the pressure of the rolls easily forced into the leather, so that its entire outer surface may be flush with the leather covering B, as is shown in Fig. 5. The binding is thus rendered smooth and flush along the edges of the saddle and furnishes a hard and polished surface,which preserves the clothes of the rider from wear and abrasion when riding on the saddle. This is in practice a very great advantage, as the edge of the saddle becomes rough by wear if of leather unprotected by such a binding, and thus wears the clothing of the rider seriously.

Glue may be inserted in the groove b before the covering is applied, and the covering is pressed firmly upon the glue by the application of the binding under pressure.

The opposite edges of a bicycle saddle (shown at the right and left hand sides of Fig. 1) are most subject to blows and pressure,which tend to deform the same, and the ridge and groove which are required to secure the binding upon the edge of the body add materially to the strength of the flange a, and thus permit the body to be made of lighter sheet metal than would otherwise be desirable. The groove and ridge thus perform a double function in our construction, as they strengthen the marginal flange of the saddle and also constitute the means for engaging the binding with the edge of the flange.

- In practice the binding is made in'straight strips and then bent by hand to conform to the contour of the flange a as it is applied by the pressing-rolls, and the joint where the two ends of the binding come together (and which is usually made at the rear of the saddle) may be covered by a clip if desired.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed herein is- A bicycle-saddle having the sheet-metal body A with downwardly-turned flange a at the margin provided with external groove 1) and flat seat 19 upon the exterior of the flange between the groove and the edge of the flange, the covering B upon the body extended to the edge of such flange over the groove and flat seat, the metallic U-shaped binding 0 with outer member shorter than the inner member, and applied to embrace the covering-and the flange, and having the edge of the outer member curvedinwardly and pressed with the leather into the groove 1), thus forming a sunken or flush joint between the binding and the covering, substantially as herein shown and described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM MEISSELBACH, JR. AUGUST F. MEISSELBAOH.

WVitnesses:

DANIEL A. BURGESSER, THOMAS S. CRANE. 

